Friday, November 10, 2006

The Joys of Adopting a Greyhound

Posted By on Fri, Nov 10, 2006 at 12:26 PM

I wanted to thank Saxon Burns for doing such a great job with this week's cover story about greyhound racing and the 100-plus missing greyhounds and to Jason Swift for his clever photos.

I thought I'd put in a plug here about greyhound adoption.

Covering southeast Arizona there are four adoption groups: Arizona Greyhound Rescue (AGR), Greyhound Adoption League (GAL), Greyhounds2Go, and AZ Greyhounds, Inc. of Sierra Vista.

Greyhounds make great companions, because they are never yappy, rarely bark and mostly are couch potatoes except for occasional spurts of energy. Even though they love to run, they are not the kind of dog that you would take jogging. They don't know the jogging pace. Greyhounds are more like sprinters. Brisk walks a few times a day are what makes them tick and keeps them (and you) fit. 

Greyhounds are also love sponges. By that, I mean at the track they have never had 1-to-1 contact, as many greyhounds are handled by a single trainer. Bring a greyhound into your home and most likely they'll be your shadow. Greyhounds are used to routine and can fall into one quickly. 

Since greyhounds are trained to chase something small and furry, some have high prey drives and some could care less. AGR cat tests all hounds, and about 50 percent live happily with their feline friends.

If adopting is not in the stars, perhaps volunteering or fostering a greyhound is. Fostering involves bringing a greyhound into your home and teaching it house manners. Greyhounds have lived in cages all their lives and don't know television, walking on tile, a ride in the family car, and soft beds.

I am owned by two greyhounds. Painter is 12 1/2 years young and Tiger Lily is still a pistol at 9. Please consider letting a greyhound race into your heart. Thank you.